This invention relates generally to a packaging, and more particularly to a display package for vending the combination of a wrist-watch and a wallet or billfold.
The combining of a wallet or billfold and a timepiece has been disclosed in the patent literature. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,310 (Lund et al.) there is disclosed a timepiece that may be associated with a billfold in which the incorporation of the timepiece into the billfold does not significantly affect either the configuration or usage of the billfold. The timepiece is in the form of a battery-powered digital watch includes a printed circuit-board that is oversized to provide a flange that extends beyond the periphery of the watch cover. The billfold into which the timepiece is to be incorporated includes a cutout in its cover or a pocket sized to receive the cover member of the watch to permit viewing of the digital display, but to prevent the flange from passing therethrough. The timepiece is secured in place by an adhesive-bearing web overlying the backsides of both the flange and the wallet member through which the watch is viewed. Alternatively, or additionally, adhesive may be applied to the front-side of the flange that interfaces with the backside of the wallet member.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,972 (Jacks) there is disclosed a wrist watch wallet having a main band with a watch attached to the outer surface thereof. The main band is designed to conveniently store in a concealed manner such items as currency, keys, and event tickets. The main band is made of thin, flexible, fashionable material and has sufficient length so that it may be wrapped in an overlapping manner around the user""s wrist. Attached to the opposite ends of the main band are complimentary primary hook and loop connector pads which are interconnected to hold the main band in place around the user""s wrist. During manufacturing, a longitudinally aligned full length opening is formed on the rear surface of the main band which allows access to the full length, longitudinally aligned main pocket formed therein. One end of the main band is closed while the opposite end is opened thereby providing a transversely aligned opening into the main pocket. Attached along the closed end of the main band is a inward curved, rigid insert member which acts to improve the gripping strength of the primary hook and loop connector pads during use. Also manufactured inside the main band is an optional second pocket used to carry smaller objects. Key pockets are also provided for carrying keys.
The combining of a timepiece and a wallet or billfold into one unit, such as disclosed in the above identified patents, may be desirable for some purposes, e.g., to add value to the combination. However, such an arrangement has several drawbacks. For example, it is not conducive for using each in its most common manner, e.g., using the time-piece as a wrist-watch. Moreover, the wallet/billfold has to be specially constructed to be adapted to hold the timepiece, thereby increasing its complexity and rendering it more bulky. Thus, while the vending of these two items together may be desirable, it should be done in a manner that enables each to be used in its normal manner. Heretofore this has not been addressed or achieved by prior art packaging.
In particular, the prior art includes packaging for a wallet or billfold alone, but not packaging for a wallet or billfold and a watch to be sold together. With respect to the former type of packaging see for example, my U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,326. In that patent there is disclosed a packaging system and method of packaging for a foldable wallet or billfold to enable the wallet or billfold to be opened and examined while deterring the wallet or billfold from being removed from the packaging system. U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,039 (Orr et al.) also discloses a packaging system for displaying articles, such as wallets, in a manner such that the wallets are readily accessible to shoppers, but are relatively difficult to shoplift.
Thus, a need exists for a vending package for holding or otherwise supporting a conventional foldable wallet or billfold and a conventional wrist-watch, so that those items can be sold as a unit and then used separately in their respective normal usage modes.
A display package for vending the combination of a wrist-watch and a wallet or billfold. The wrist-watch comprises a pair of straps adapted to be releasably connected to each other to form a band for holding the watch on the wrist of a person. The wallet/billfold comprises at least two sections foldably connected to each other.
The package basically comprises a front panel, a rear panel, and an intermediate panel connected together. Each of the panels has a pair of side edges, a top edge and a bottom edge. The panels are disposed with respect to each other so that the wallet/billfold is located with one of its sections behind the front panel, and with the other of its sections located in front of the rear panel and with the intermediate panel interposed between the two sections of the wallet/billfold. One of the front panel and rear panel includes a pair of openings therein through which the band of the wrist-watch can be extended, so that the band extends through those openings, about the side edges of the front and rear panels and about the wallet/billfold.
In accordance with one exemplary preferred embodiment of this invention the bottom edge of the front and rear panels are connected to each other and the top edge of the rear and intermediate panels are connected to each other, e.g., the package comprises a generally planar strip of foldable material having a first fold line and a second fold line, with the first fold line defining the bottom edge of the front and rear panels, and with the second fold line defining the top edge of the rear and intermediate panels.